


Sunlight On Your Skin

by LokoteiBex



Category: Tangled (2010), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Grief/Mourning, Possibly a ghost possibly her imagination
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 11:23:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13763091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokoteiBex/pseuds/LokoteiBex
Summary: An accident has left Rapunzel without Eugene, and now she must find a way to go on without him.





	Sunlight On Your Skin

Rapunzel hadn’t spoken for days, and no one blamed her. Not a soul. Who could blame her when the love of her life had been so abruptly and unexpectedly taken from her?

She hadn’t left her room since the funeral, and barely ate. Getting her to get out of bed was a nearly futile task. Cassandra made an effort, at least. Even if Rapunzel wouldn’t sit up, she brushed her hair every day to keep it from becoming a rat’s nest, and talked to her cheerfully about her day and the plans for tomorrow. She’d ask when Rapunzel thought she might be ready to get up, but the princess never answered.

Her sleep schedule was completely off, with her slumbering or dozing most of the time. The only time she felt really awake was at night, when the castle was still, and she preferred it that way. She didn’t want to bother people, and she didn’t want them to bother her. She’d find whatever cart of food they’d left her for dinner, eat a few bites, then return to bed, though sleep came poorly in these wee hours.

Her biggest problem was that she didn’t know how to go on from here. It had been hard enough the first time Eugene had died on her. This time, she loved him so much more, and felt so much more guilt. She constantly felt like there was more she could have done, more she  _should_ have done. After all, she’d been the one to bring him back the last time. Why was she so incapable this time?

One would think that she’d have no tears left to cry. Her eyes ached with it, and her body begged for no more, but that didn’t stop it. Her vision blurred with emotion, and once again, the tears fell from her eyes. Useless, pointless tears that had been unable to raise the dead a second time.

_Come on, now, Sunshine_.

She heard him clearly, and her eyes flew open, looking around her empty room. “Eugene?” Her voice was hoarse with disuse, and she cleared her throat. There was no one there, but she felt like… there should be. Like the absence of Eugene was a physical thing she could feel and almost see.

_Hey, why are you crying?_  his voice asked gently, from nowhere and everywhere.

Rapunzel looked around wildly, trying to see where the voice was coming from, trying to see  _him!_  “You  _know_  why!” she blurted. “You’re gone!”

_Am I?_  His voice was filled with so much sweet amusement.  _Does that sound like something I’d do? Leave you all alone?_

“Well, no… But you did!” She peered around still, trying to catch a glimpse of wherever he might be. “And I miss you! So much!” Was the air shimmering like a heat wave? She felt like, any moment now, he was going to materialize, and her heart gripped in anticipation.

_I know, Blondie. I know._  She could practically feel his breath on her ear.  _And I’m sorry. It’s not like I wanted to die. It sucked the first time. Wasn’t a lot better the second time. But you know what? It’s okay._

“How?! How is it okay?!” she wailed, and reached out into the empty darkness for him.

_It’s okay because this time… this time I’m sure you’re strong enough. This time, you’re not completely alone. You have your parents and,_  his voice hitched a moment,  _Cas **san** dra… You have people to love, who love you_.

“But I don’t have  _you!_ ”

_You’ll always have me, Rapunzel. Look at your wall, and your journal. I’ll always be with you. What is it that your mom says? Every time you’re aware of the sunlight on your skin, that’s me hanging around to see how you are. Every time you think of me, I’m with you. I want you to live a good, long life. I want you to be happy. And when your time’s up, I’ll be right there to take your hand to spend the rest of our afterlives together._

Rapunzel felt like she could feel his lips, soft and warm, on her cheeks, kissing her tears away even as they fell.

_Stay strong for me, Sunshine. I know it’s hard right now, but someday you’ll smile and laugh again. And when you do, I’ll be there, enjoying the light shining from you. I love you. I’ll always love you._

She sniffed, but oddly, she felt better. “I’ll always love you, too,” she croaked. “I promise.”


End file.
